The best eSIM for Taiwan is the one that fits how long you stay. For a few days in Taipei, a small plan covers maps, messages and the MRT. For one or two weeks around the island, pick 10 GB to 20 GB. For a month, 50 GB. Taiwan isn't part of most "Asia" plans, ours included, so if you also visit Japan or other countries, you add a second eSIM for them. Plan details here come from our Taiwan eSIM page.
Short on time? Here are three Taiwan plans for three typical trips: one week, two weeks and a month.
Taiwan 5GB (7 days) · Taiwan 20GB (15 days) · Taiwan 50GB (30 days) · data only · See all eSIMs for Taiwan
What makes an eSIM the best one for Taiwan?
There's no single best eSIM for everyone. The right one is the plan that fits your trip. Check these points before you buy:
- Data and days: enough data for the length of your stay, so you don't run out halfway.
- Countries covered: Taiwan only, or Taiwan plus Japan, Hong Kong or other stops. Check that Taiwan is really on the list.
- Speed: Taiwan has 5G in the cities, so a plan that lists 5G makes sense.
- Top-ups: the option to add data instead of buying a new eSIM.
- When the days start: ideally when you land, not when you buy or install it.
- Phone number: most travel eSIMs are data only. Decide if you really need a Taiwanese number.
- Your phone: it must support eSIM and be unlocked.
Our eSIMs for Taiwan: the details
SimOptions sells seven Taiwan plans. According to the plan details on the Taiwan eSIM page, they all work the same way:
- Data and days: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days, 50 GB for 30 days and 60 GB for 90 days.
- Coverage: Taiwan only.
- Speed: 5G, where the network has it, and 4G elsewhere.
- Phone number: no. Data only, with no calls or SMS.
- Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you arrive in Taiwan.
- Top-ups: available, so you can add data if you run low.
- Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year of buying it, it becomes invalid.
Every plan is prepaid with no contract, and your QR code comes by email. The Taiwan page also says hotspot sharing is supported, so you can share your data with a laptop or a travel buddy.
Which eSIM is best for your Taiwan trip?
Start with how long you stay. Then check if you visit other countries and if you need a phone number.
A few days in Taipei: 1 GB to 5 GB
On a stopover or a long weekend in Taipei, you mostly need maps, messages and some photos. Taiwan 1GB and 3GB last 3 days. Taiwan 5GB lasts 7 days and gives you room for a day trip to Jiufen or Yehliu without worrying about data.
One or two weeks around the island: 10 GB to 20 GB
Taking the high-speed rail from Taipei to Tainan, then on to Sun Moon Lake or Hualien? Taiwan 10GB lasts 7 days. Taiwan 20GB lasts 15 days, which is enough for daily maps, social media, photos and some video calls on a two-week trip.
A month or more: 50 GB or 60 GB
Studying, working remotely or travelling slowly? Taiwan 50GB lasts 30 days and Taiwan 60GB lasts 90 days. If you run low, top up instead of buying a new eSIM.
Taiwan and Japan on the same trip
Our Asia plans don't include Taiwan, and the Taiwan plans only work in Taiwan. So for a trip to both, the simplest setup is two eSIMs: a Taiwan plan and a Japan plan. You install both at home and switch your data line when you land in the next country. An iPhone can store eight or more eSIMs (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone), so there's plenty of room.
Spending a week in Japan after Taiwan? This plan gives you 10 GB for 7 days there.
Longer in Japan? See all plans on our Japan eSIM page, or read our guide to the best eSIM for Japan.
Taiwan plus Hong Kong, China or Southeast Asia
It works the same way: one eSIM for Taiwan and one for each other stop. Our Hong Kong eSIM covers Hong Kong. If your route takes in several countries our Asia plans cover, such as Thailand, Singapore or South Korea, one Asia plan can cover all of them, next to your Taiwan eSIM. Our guide to the best eSIM for Asia lists every country it covers.
You need a phone number
Our Taiwan plans are data only. You can still call and text with WhatsApp, LINE, FaceTime or iMessage, see how to make calls with a data-only eSIM. Your home SIM also stays on your phone, so you keep getting texts and bank codes on your usual number. If you need a Taiwanese number, for example for SMS codes from local apps, you need a tourist SIM from a local carrier (see below).
Other ways to get connected in Taiwan
A SimOptions eSIM isn't your only option. Here is a fair look at the others.
A tourist SIM or eSIM from a Taiwanese carrier
Taiwan has three main mobile carriers: Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone. All three sell tourist plans with a local number and mobile data for a set number of days, many with unlimited data, at counters in Taoyuan Airport and in their stores (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, FarEasTone). The catch: you sign up in person with your passport and a second ID, and you may queue after a long flight. Our guide to the best prepaid SIM card for Taiwan compares the three tourist plans and the IDs you need.
Global eSIM apps
Many global eSIM sellers have Taiwan plans too, and most are data only. Compare them on the same points as above: data, days, countries covered, speed, top-ups and when the days start. If a plan is sold as "Asia", check that Taiwan is really on its country list.
Your home carrier's roaming
Check your own plan before you buy anything. If you're from the US, Canada, the UK or Australia, your carrier sets its own roaming prices for Taiwan. Some plans include data abroad, often at reduced speed or for a daily fee. If roaming is expensive or your high-speed allowance is small, a Taiwan eSIM next to your home line gives you local data at a fixed prepaid price. Turn off data roaming on your home line so it can't use data by mistake.
How much data do you need in Taiwan?
It depends on how you use your phone. Hotel and café Wi-Fi helps a lot. As a rough guide:
- 3 to 5 days: 1 GB to 5 GB for maps, messages and some browsing.
- 7 to 15 days: 10 GB to 20 GB, enough for social media, photos and some video calls.
- 15 to 30 days: 20 GB to 50 GB, or more if you stream or work online.
Sharing your connection with a laptop or a friend's phone? Hotspot uses data fast, so go a size up. Download offline maps before you head into the mountains (Google Maps Help: offline maps).
Is your phone compatible?
Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID number, your phone supports eSIM. On iPhone, eSIM works on the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM). For Android phones, see our guide to checking eSIM compatibility. If you bought your phone from a carrier, ask it to unlock the phone before you travel.
How to set up your eSIM for Taiwan
- Buy your plan on the Taiwan eSIM page. Your QR code comes by email.
- Install it at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. Step-by-step help: how to install an eSIM and Apple's guide to setting up eSIM on iPhone.
- Label the line "Taiwan" or "Travel" so you can tell it apart from your home line. Visiting Japan too? Label that one "Japan".
- When you land, the eSIM connects automatically. Choose it as your line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Cellular Data and pick the travel eSIM (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM).
- Turn off data roaming on your home line, so it can't use data abroad.
No signal after you land? Our guide on what to do when your eSIM is not activating walks you through the fixes.
Top places to visit in Taiwan
Taiwan is an island in East Asia, across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. It packs busy night markets, temples, high mountains and a fast rail network into a small space. Here are five places worth a visit, with a connection tip for each.
Taipei
Taiwan's capital is famous for its street food and night markets, such as Shilin and Raohe. Visit Longshan Temple in Wanhua, founded in 1738 and rebuilt several times since. The National Palace Museum holds a huge collection of Chinese art, with close to 700,000 objects. For the view, go up to the observatory on the 89th floor of Taipei 101, or hike up Elephant Mountain at sunset. Your eSIM connects at Taoyuan Airport, so you can check the airport MRT or a ride app as soon as you land.
Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake sits in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, surrounded by forested mountains. Cycle or walk the lakeside paths, take a boat across the lake, or ride the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway for a view over the water and hills (Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area). Stay overnight if you can: the lake is quietest at sunrise. Boat and bus times change with the season, so check them on your phone the day before.
Taroko National Park
Taroko National Park in Hualien County is known for Taroko Gorge, carved by the Liwu River through marble cliffs. The April 2024 earthquake damaged roads and trails in the park. Some areas have reopened, but several trails, including the one to the Eternal Spring Shrine, are still closed. Check the latest status on the park's official website before you go (Taroko National Park). Signal can drop in the gorge, so download your map first.
Tainan
Tainan, on the southwest coast, is one of Taiwan's oldest cities and was its capital for over two centuries. Visit Chihkan Tower, built on the site of the Dutch Fort Provintia from the 17th century, and the Confucius Temple, known as the first school in Taiwan. The Chimei Museum has collections of Western art, musical instruments and natural history (Chimei Museum). Tainan is also known for its food, so save room for a snack crawl.
Lukang
Lukang, on the west coast in Changhua County, was one of Taiwan's busiest trading ports in the 18th and 19th centuries. Walk its old streets with their brick houses and craft shops, and visit Lukang Longshan Temple, known for its woodcarvings. Then try the local seafood, such as oyster omelette. Lukang is an easy day trip from Taichung.
Planning the rest of your trip? Our Taiwan travel guide has more ideas.
FAQs
What is the best eSIM for Taiwan?
It depends on your trip. For a few days, Taiwan 1GB to 5GB. For one or two weeks, Taiwan 10GB or 20GB. For a month, Taiwan 50GB. Compare any plan on data, days, speed, top-ups and whether Taiwan is really on its country list.
What is the best eSIM for Taiwan and Japan?
Use two eSIMs: a Taiwan plan and a Japan plan. Our Asia plans cover Japan but not Taiwan, so a single Asia plan won't work in Taiwan. Install both at home and switch your data line when you change country.
Does a travel eSIM work in Taipei and across Taiwan?
Yes. Our Taiwan plans cover the whole country, so they work in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and other places with mobile coverage. In the mountains and remote gorges, signal can be weak or missing, so download offline maps first.
Can I get a Taiwanese phone number with a travel eSIM?
Not with our Taiwan plans, which are data only. For a local number, you need a tourist SIM or eSIM from Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile or FarEasTone, bought in person with your passport and a second ID.
Do Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work in Taiwan?
Yes. Unlike mainland China, Taiwan doesn't block social media, and Freedom House rates its internet as "Free" (Freedom House: Taiwan). You don't need a VPN to use your usual apps.
Can I top up my Taiwan eSIM?
Yes. Top-ups are available on our Taiwan plans, so you can add data instead of buying a new eSIM.
When should I install my eSIM for Taiwan?
Install it at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly. It activates automatically when you arrive in Taiwan, so your days start then. If you don't use it within a year of buying it, it becomes invalid.